TLDR Women are more likely to have long-term post-COVID symptoms than men.
This multicenter cohort study involving 1,969 individuals found that while there were no significant sex differences in initial COVID-19 symptoms, females were more likely to experience long-term post-COVID symptoms, including fatigue, dyspnea, pain, hair loss, ocular problems, depressive levels, and poor sleep quality. Specifically, females had a higher likelihood of reporting ≥3 post-COVID symptoms (adjusted OR 2.54) and hair loss (adjusted OR 4.529). The study underscores the need for healthcare systems to consider sex differences in managing long-term post-COVID conditions.
1250 citations
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August 2021 in “Scientific Reports” COVID-19 leaves 80% of patients with long-term symptoms like fatigue and headaches.
213 citations
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December 2020 in “Annals of internal medicine” Many COVID-19 patients still have symptoms like fatigue and loss of taste or smell a month after diagnosis.
151 citations
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May 2021 in “Frontiers in Medicine” Many patients experience long-lasting symptoms like fatigue and pain after COVID-19, regardless of initial disease severity.
July 2025 in “The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine” Certain immune responses may cause ongoing COVID-19 symptoms like fatigue and brain fog.
56 citations
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May 2021 in “Journal of infection/The Journal of infection” Most hospitalized COVID-19 patients had long-term symptoms like fatigue and hair loss, with women and those sicker during hospitalization at higher risk.
34 citations
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February 2023 in “Frontiers in Public Health” Hospitalized COVID-19 survivors have a higher risk of long-term symptoms and need special care.
80 citations
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February 2021 in “Cureus” Many COVID-19 survivors continue to experience symptoms like fatigue and concentration problems after recovery, possibly needing rehabilitation.
